Cole, Abdulalhi, Nasiru on the shortlist for $100,000 literary prize

The Advisory Board for the Nigeria Prize for Literature has approved a final shortlist of three books out of a longlist of 11 released in July 2018. The books are Embers by Soji Cole, Death and The King’s Grey Hair by Denja Abdullahi and The Rally by Akanji Nasiru.

A statement issued by the board, which was made available to our correspondent, noted that members of the judges’ panel set up to supervise this year’s competition had expressed their delight at the high standard of writing evident in the entries.

The chairman of the panel, Prof. Matthew Umukoro, it said, described all three plays as possessing high literary qualities of effective dialogue, good dramaturgical structure, skilful handling of suspense and credible characterisation.

Also, presenting a brief synopsis of each of the works, the statement reads, “Embers, by Soji Cole, focuses on life in one of the Internally Displaced People’s Camps in Northern Nigeria. The characters gave testimonies of their ugly encounters in Sambisa Forest, as well as their painful discovery of life in the IDP Camp.

“In Death and The King’s Grey Hair, Denja Abdullahi confronts the issue of perpetuation in power, where rulers, like the king in this drama, employ all sorts of devices to cling on to power, long after they have overstayed their welcome.

“Akanji Nasiru’s The Rally, addresses the contemporary political theme of youth versus age.”

Other members of the panel include Mohammed Inuwa Umar – Buratai, professor of Theatre and Performing Arts and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and Ngozi Udengwu, a Senior lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

According to the statement, the International Consultant to the Advisory Board for this year’s prize is Jonathan Haynes, professor of English at Long Island University in Brooklyn, USA.

The other members of the Advisory Board, beside Emeritus Prof. Ayo Banjo, are Prof. Jerry Agada, a former Minister of State for Education and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and Emeritus Prof. Ben Elugbe, former President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters.

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